Ordnance.



J. J. BoWBs, JB'.

ORDNANGE. APPLIUATION FILED MAY 2v. 190s.

Patented June 1, 1909.

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Il'lllu IM====E== J. J. BowEs, Jn. oBnNANcE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1908.

Patented June 1,1909.

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nimmt UNF? JOHN I. BOWES, JR., OF PENSAOOLA, FLORIDA.

ORDNANCE Patented June 1, 1909.

1908. Serial No. 435,322.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN JJBOWES, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Pen sacola, in the county of Escambia and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ordnance, of which the following is a speciiication.

The invention relates to an improvement in ordnance, being more particularly directed to certain mechanism in the use of which smoke, gas, and other refuse accumulating in the gun after the discharge thereof may be completely dissipated or rejected prior to the redischarge of the gun.

In the use of ordnance of heavy caliber a portion of the smoke and gases generated by the explosion of a charge ordinarily escape through the breech opening in the operation of the breech for inserting a new charge and thereby render the recharge of the gun dangerous owing to the liability of the premature ignition of the second charge and also, in coniined places, as turrets or the like, so vitiate and poison the atmosphere as to dangerously aect the gun crew.

lt is the object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which may be automatically controlled and .which in operation will close the muzzle of the gun and simultaneously eject or withdraw all smoke, gases and the like, leaving the bore of the gun entirely free from the dangerous elements noted.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being hadv particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation partly in section showing the muzzle end of a gun with my improved apparatus applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the lline 4w4 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, my improved apparatus includes a casting or base 1 designed to be secured, as by lag screws 2 or the like to the under surface of a gun 3 immediately adj acent the muzzle end 4 of the latter. At the relatively forward end the base 1 is formed with depending spaced parallel ears 5, which 4 for the purposes of this invention are disposed slightly in advance of the muzzle end 4 of the gun. Secured in the ears 5 and bridging the space between them is a pivot pin 6, having a head 7 to bear against the outer l surface of one ear and an exteriorly threaded l end S to project beyond the relatively outer surface of the other ear. The pivot pin 6 is hollow for the greater portion of its length, the bore 9 of said pin opening through the threaded end thereof and extending toward the head 7 beyond a point centrally between the two ears 5. At a point about mid-distance between said ears the relatively upper' portion of the pivot pin 6 is formed with an opening 10, communicating with the bore 9 of the pin, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Rotatably supported on the pin 6 is what I term an exhaust head 11, being a semi-spherical hollow body having for the greater portion of its circumferential edge a radially disposed flange 12 formed in its rear or free edge with a recess 13 to receive a rubber gasket 14. The diameter of the body 11 corres onds with the interior diameter of the muzz e 4 of the gun, the flange 12 being adapted to abut the forward edge of the gun beyond the bore when the parts are in operative position, so that the gasket 14 will form a more or less airtight connection between the exhaust head and gun muzzle. Depending from the body 11 of the exhaust head is a standard 15, which at an appropriate point is formed with an opening 16 to rotatively embrace the pivot pin 6, said standard depending below the pivot pin and being terminally provided with a segment 17 peripherally formed with a series of teeth 18. Above the pivot opening 16 the standard 15 is hollow, as at 19, and within the body 1l the standard is continued in the form of an ejector tube 20, the bore of which forms a continuation of the bore 19 of the standard. The upper end of the ejector tube is gradually reduced in diameter and bent forwardly, terminating at 21 irrimediately adjacent and in rear of an opening 22 formed centrally in the body 11, which opening is formed by a forwardly projecting flange 23 integral with the wall of the body 11 and continued to provide a cylindrical discharge tube 24 having its forward terminal inclined from the vertical and normallyl closed by a flap valve 25 arranged for free opening under pressure from within the exhaust head. The ejector tube within the body 11 is formed in its rear wall with an opening 26 shaped to provide a valve seat, and carrying a valve 27 spring pressed at 28 in the relatively outward direction, the arrangement of the valve 27 permitting free admission to the ejector tube by pressure from without said.

tube or preventing escape from the tube through the opening 26 by pressure from within.

The threaded end of the pivot pin 6 is engaged by a block 29 having a channel 30 in communication with the bore of the pivot pin and also in communication with a feed pipe 31 connected in any appropriate manner to the block. The feed pipe 31 extends lengthwise the gun and at the breech end of the gun is provided with means for controlling the pressure supply, which will be presently described.

At a point intermediate its ends the base plate 1 is formed with a depending web 32, to which at the lower end is secured a cylinder 33. r1`his cylinder is alined with the segment extension 17 of the standard 16, and within the cylinder is arranged a piston 34 connected to a piston rod 35 which extends for Wardly and is terminally formed with a toothed rack 36, the teeth of which engage with the teeth 18 ofthe segment 17. By this construction reciprccation of the rod 35 due to the movement of the piston 34 will swing the exhaust head on the pivot pin 6, it being noted in this connection that while the exhaust head is in upright or operative position closing the muzzle of the giin the hollow standard 15 and the ejector pipe 2O are in open communication with the feed pipe 31 through the opening 1() in the pivot pin. Encircling the piston rod 35 between the piston 34 and the rear head of the cylinder 33 is a spring 37, cushioning the movement of the piston in one direction. Secured to the cylinder 33 is a valve casing 38 in which is mounted a slide valve 39. rlfhe slide valve is of the concaved type and the casing 38 is in direct communication with the feed pipe 31 through a coupling 40, so that the concavity in the valve 39 is at all times in communication with the feed pipe. Feed ports 41 and 42 lead from opposite ends of the valve casing 38 to the opposite ends of the cylinder 33, so that by properly positioning the valve 39 air from the feed pipe 31 may be admitted to either side of the piston 34 to operate the piston rod 35 in the desired direction. The casing 38 is formed with an exhaust and the s ide valve 39 is formed with a series of internal exhaust ports 44, through which the air may be exhausted through theport 43 in either position of the valve. The valve 39` is provided with a valve stein 45 projecting through one end of the valve casing and connected to the lower endof the lever 46 fulcrumed upon an adjacent part of the structure, the upper end of said lever being arranged for manual operation through a rod 47, whereby the slide valve may be manually positioned to admit air to either end of the cylinder 33.

ort 43 opening to the atmosphereiith the parts constructed and arranged asv described and a suitable manually operable valve arranged on the terminal of the feed pipe 31 adjacent the breech end of the gun, the operation is as follows, assuming the exhaust head in lowered or horizontal position and a charge ust fired. Under these conditions the piston 34 will be cushioned against the spring 37, to avoid jar in lowering the exhaust head, and the hollow standard will be disposed out of registry with the opening 10 in the pivot pin 6, so that no air will be admitted to the exhaust head. Desiring now to clear the gun the rod 47' is operated to position the slide.valve as shown in Fig. 4, whereupon air being admitted to the feed pipe 31' will operate upon the piston 34 with the effect to force the same to the forward portion of the cylinder. This movement of the piston will, through the rod 35, operate the exhaust head, turning the same upon the pivot rod 6 until the muzzle end of the gun is closed, as shown in Fig. 1. The hollow standard and ejector tube are now in communication with the feed pi e 31 and the air therein under pressure wi l be forced through the ejector tube and out through the nozzle 24, carrying with it the gases, smoke and other refuse ac cumulated in the gun. After clearing the gun the slide valve is shifted to the opposite position, thereby actuating the piston 34 in the rearward or reverse direction vand lowering the exhaust head beyond the plane of the gun, such movement of the head automatically cutting ofi' the air supply thereto.

The parts described are equally effectivey with a vacuum exhaust, in which event the piston 34 is operated by the suction or vacuum and the refuse material within the gun is exhausted directly into the ejector tube through the opening 26, thence through theI feed pipe to a point of discharge The above description is based upon the manual control of the val-ve for the feed pipe 31. 1n this connection it is to beu-nden stood that said operation may be automatic.

1n connection with the present invention it is to be particularly noted that the parts described are entirely auxiliary to the gun proper, and that no part of the gun mechanism or of the'- gun proper is interfered withv and no additions whatever are made to the gun structure other than that of securing the base plate 1 i-n place. This feature of theconstruction adapts the invention for any of the guns now in use without regard toA their particular type, it being understood', of course, that the exhaust head is tol beformed` to accommodate itself to the' muzzle opening in the mannerl described.

The present invention willI also prevent flare-back when the gun is beingiired against a head wind, as theimproved mechanism willa prevent the passage of air through the gun.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. The combination with a gun, of an eX- haust head for the muzzle end thereof, means for operating said head relative to the muzzle end of the gun, fluid controlled means for the head operating means, and means whereby said fluid may be directed through the exhaust head when the latter is `in muzzle closing position.

2. rlhe combination with a gun, of an eX- haust head for the muzzle end thereof, a pressure sup ly pipe connected with said head, means or operating the head to move the same into and out of muzzle closing position, and means for automatically control- 1 ling the iuid supply to close the head against the same when said head is in any other than muzzle closing position.

3. The combination with a gun, an eX- haust head pivotally mounted on the gun, pressure controlling means for moving said head on its pivot, and means for admitting said pressure directly to the head when the latter is in .muzzle closing position.

4. The combination with a gun, of an eX- haust head therefor adapted for movement into and out of muzzle closing position, and pressure controlled means for operating said head, said means serving to automatically direct the pressure iiuid through the head in a certain position of the head.

5. The combination with a gun, of an eX- haust head pivotally connected thereto, a toothed segment connected with the head, a fluid pressure means, a rod operated by said pressure means, said rod being formed with a rack to engage the toothed segment, and a means for admitting the pressure supply to the head when said head is in a determinate position.

6. The combination with a gun, oi' an eX- haust head, a pivot pin for said head carried by the gun, said pin being hollow for a portion of its length and formed with an outlet,...

a hollow standard depending from the head and in communication with the bore of the pin when in registry7 with said outlet, an ejector tube within the head, and an escape nozzle carried by the head in line with the delivery end of the eiector tube.

7. The combination with a gun, of an eX- haust head, a pivot pin for said head carried by the gun, said pin being hollow for a portion of its length and formed with an outlet, a hollow standard depending from the head and in communication with the bore of the pin when in registry with said outlet, an ejector tube within the head, an escape nozzle carried by the head in line with the delivery end of the ejector tube, and a normally closed inwardly opening valve carried by the ejector tube.

S. The combination with a gun, of an eX- haust head, a pivot pin for said head carried by the gun, said pin being hollow for a portion of its length and formed with an outlet, a hollow standard depending from the head and in communication with the bore of the pin when in registry with said outlet, an ejector tube within the head, an escape nozzle carried by the head in line with the delivery end of the ejector tube, a toothed segment carried by the standard below the pivot pin, a pressure supply pipe in open communication with the bore of the pivot pin, a cylinder arranged below the gun, a piston within the cylinder, a rod connected with the piston and terminally formed with a rack to engage the toothed segment, and means for controlling the movement of said piston from the pressure supply pipe.

9. The combination with a gun, of an eX- haust head, a pivot pin for said head carried by the gun, said pin being hollow for a portion of its length and formed with an outlet, a hollow standard depending 'from the head and in communication with the bore of the pin when in registry with said outlet, an ejector tube within the head, an escape nozzle carried by the head in line with the delivery end of the ejector tube, a toothed segment carried by the stand ard below the pivot pin, a pressure supply pipe in open communication with the bore of the pivot pin, a cylinder arranged below the gun, a piston within the cylinder, a rod connected with the Y JOHN J. BOVVES, JR. Witnesses:

W. E. WrLsoN, H. A. OwsLEY. 

